


Tell Me Honestly (Would You Still Love Me The Same)

by saveusall



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Anne is briefly mentioned, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, mentions of Louis/Eleanor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2015-09-16
Packaged: 2018-04-21 02:12:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4811006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saveusall/pseuds/saveusall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Harry is new to the neighborhood and Louis is new to Harry.</p><p>(ft. ziam, cute friendship, yorkshire tea, winter & coats, bus stops, moms, fluff fluff and more fluff )</p><p> </p><p>[oneshot; title from locked away/maroon 5]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Me Honestly (Would You Still Love Me The Same)

It's _winter_ ; and Louis is _cold_.

He's walking down the street of shops, rolling snowballs between his gloves and freezing fingers, casually tossing them towards a few display cases. Once in a while, someone who actually cared enough about their property would run out into the harsh winter streets and yell at Louis for _'affecting their business and customers'_. In those cases, Louis would smile and run further down as fast as he could. He wouldn't care about whether he would fall; he had always wanted to slide down the sloping roads until his boxers were soaked and his butt was numb anyway.

He didn't know if not caring was supposed to be a good thing or not.

When he got home, it was already dark and dinner was already set-up. He entered the warmth of his house, toed off his Toms and hung his coat on the rack.

"Darling, go get your sisters down. Yeah?" Jay called out.

Louis smiled a little and went into the kitchen to give his mom a back-hug. She was undoubtedly the best person in the world, he thought.

"Can I just yell for them to-"

"No."

Louis huffed and proceeded up the stairs to knock on each of his pesky sisters' doors to tell them food was ready downstairs, then going to his room to check on his phone which he had unknowingly left charger-unplugged lying on his bed before he left the house. He haphazardly pressed a button and the screen came to life. Miracle.

_'Five new messages received_

(4.03PM) Malik says: _Hey dude wru?? Liam went to get food so i'm alone in his room ;) but im bored TALK 2 ME!!_

(4.20PM) Payno says: _Could you please entertain my boyfriend for just 2 minutes so I can pay without looking like a freak who's phone keeps going off? I s2g I've only been here 10 minutes. I'm gonna kill him. Maybe not. Thanks._

(5.39PM) Nialler says: _SHIT HAYLEY FROM CHEMISTRY JUST ASKED TO HANG. SHE'S HOT. WHAT DO I DO???_

(5. 45PM) Nialler says: _ARE U SRSLY NOT REPLYING AT THIS TIME OF CRISIS? WHAT A FRIEND_

(6.00PM) Nialler says: _fine. b that way. i'm gg over now. pick up my body later x._ '

Louis doesn't realize the small smile leaking onto his face until he looks up and feels the slight pull of his muscle. He types out half-arsed comical replies to them and apologizes, then heads down to join his family for dinner.

Throughout dinner, his mind keept drifting to his three best friends, remembering the way he had even become friends with them in the first place. He remembers how they would crash at Liam's for late night movies even with exams round the corner. He recalls the secret stares between Zayn and Liam when they were totally blind about the other's feelings _(the sexual tension was the w.o.r.s.t)._ He's glad they figured it out in the end.

 

( _Louis remembers the sigh of relief that had escaped his lips when Zayn and Liam had first come out to him and Niall as a couple. He had no idea he had been holding his breath until he released it five minutes later, after the words "We're together. Like together together. Dating, I think? Yeah, I mean yeah. We're dating. And we're happy" had filled the silent room. Zayn, Liam and even Niall had taken in his reaction rather weirdly, staring at him for a few beats until Louis realized what he had just done. They had expected happiness or even maybe disgust, but his relief definitely took them by surprise. He sighed and finally managed to choke out a congratulations, followed by "I don't know but, I think me too yeah? Interested in blokes, I mean." Louis looked down at the floor, maybe regretting his decision. He had never really truly liked any of the people at school besides the three people standing around him. He couldn't bear to lose them now. He felt a nudge at his side and hesitantly looked up to see his friends beaming at him. Silence echoed the room until they burst out into laughter and huddled together._

_“About time! All of ‘ya took long enough, I saw the boredom in your eyes when you were with Eleanor, knew it all along.” Niall pulled Louis into a headlock and yeah, Louis didn’t mind the smell of his armpits then._

_Even if he did, he couldn’t bring himself to ruin the moment._ )

 

Sometimes after replaying those fond memories, Louis still kinda feels alone. Zayn has Liam and Liam has Zayn and Niall has his weekly hook-ups or summat. But Louis, he hasn’t found anyone right. He had tried, god, he tried so hard to see the best in people and willed himself to fall in love with them. But, seeing the sparks between Liam and Zayn, he knew that love just couldn’t be forced.

 _Maybe I should just fall in love with Niall_ , he thought to himself. The milk Louis drank came spluttering out of his nose seconds later.

That night, when he lay in bed wishing for someone to someday lay beside him, _just maybe_ , a shooting star was flying above. And someone had answered his prayers.

 

.

 

It starts like this.

It’s a Monday and it’s still freezing and Louis forgot his tea.

He forgot to drink his perfectly brewed and perfectly warm cup of Yorkshire back at home, when he was in a rush to wake up the girls while Jay whipped up some breakfast. When he stepped out into the harsh winter air, stumbling to the bus stop while trying to put on his coat and keep his bag off the floor at the same time, he thought life was against him.

Louis grumpily took under the shelter and struggled to get his phone out of his pocket underneath all the layers. Then, just at the moment he chose to extend his legs out for a stretch, he felt someone stumble and heard an "oof". The next thing he knows, there's a guy lying on the floor in front of him. He stifles his laughter out of politeness, then stands up to clear his throat and offer him a hand. 

It’s not raining, but when the guy looks up at him, Louis swears he hears thunder and sees lightning. 

 _Holy fuck_ , he thinks. _You're beautiful_.

He sees _greengreengreen_ eyes and hazel curls and a smile that blinds his vision and _god he's pretty_.

"Oops."

"Hi."

The guy smiles and takes his hand as Louis lifts him off the ground. He frowns a little and dusts himself off a bit but just can't catch his balance yet again and ends up falling onto the seat. Louis doesn't bother trying not to laugh this time. He moves to stand in front of the pretty boy and blocks the sun so he doesn't have to squint.

"You're an oaf."

"No, I'm Harry. Styles." He replies while smiling, trying to push himself off the seat again, only to feel a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Nah, sit. It's much safer like this, Curly."

 _Curly?_ "For you, or for me?"

"Both."

Louis sees a flash of fond light up Harry's eyes before he diverts his attention to the smile that hasn't quite disappeared just yet.

It might be a little too quick, but Louis thinks he wants to be able to stare at this boy all his life. 

They sit down and talk and Louis grumbles about his lost tea and Harry laughs and looks at him like he's hung all the fucking stars in the sky and brings the snow during winter.

Louis looks at Harry the same way.

He finds out that Harry had just moved into the neighborhood last night and is apparently going to be attending the same school as Louis does, only a year below, although he's two years younger.

"Skipped a grade. It was boring." Harry had said.

Louis had thought he was insane.

Nonetheless, Louis patiently waited for Harry to finish telling all his stories with his snail-paced voice that was so easy to get addicted to. Harry said he'd been trying to figure out which bus would get him to school and so Louis naturally took it upon himself to teach Harry all there is to know. Harry wasn't all that worried, though, he had a feeling Louis would be there by his side if he ever got lost in this area, which is really near impossible because it was so small that he had finished exploring it in less than hour last evening. Speaking of which…

"Hey, is there anything to do around here? I stepped out last night to explore and it looked fairly small. Friendly though," Harry asked.

"Hm. Yeah, we're all really close, not much to do though, but there's always me! I plan on stickin’ by you for a while more, I mean- if that's okay?"

Harry vigorously nods his head.

"Good, good. Thought you might’ve rejected me within the first," Louis checks his phone, "twenty minutes of meeting you." 

 _Who would ever reject you?_ Harry thinks.

"Wait, what were you doing out last night? Didn't you freeze your _arse_ off or summat? Danger?" Louis furrows his brows in a way that makes Harry want to squirm and scream like a ten year old girl.

"What can I say, I like an adventure?" Harry shrugs.

"Well,-" _I like you,_ "that's cool. Next time you wanna do something, call me, yeah? The more the merrier, and all that," Louis meets Harry's eyes with hesitation and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the younger boy's eyes light up even more.

On the bus, they come across the topic on school and Louis learns that Harry had just moved out here from Chesire, where he had quite a few acquaintances but none he would really miss. He had one or two close friends, but other than that there wasn't much for him in that small town. So, when his mom ( Louis learns that her name is Anne and she's the sweetest person ever ) asked him what he thought about relocating, he agreed in a heartbeat.

"I don't know if I'm the best at making friends though," Louis sees Harry's hands shaking a little as he grips the handlebar, and he doesn't thinks it's due to the cold.

"That's okay! I like you perfectly fine," Louis beams. "You can sit with me and my friends at lunch maybe? If you’d like to? Just in case you don't make any friends worth ditching me for before that, I doubt it though"

 _I'd ditch the world for you,_ Harry thinks to himself. But he just ends up smiling and nodding along.

And yeah, he thinks he made the right choice moving here already.

 

.

 

At lunch, Louis is on the edge and constantly looks out for Harry, him being the only thing that has gotten Louis through this tiring day so far. Louis is trying to be subtle, looking around to check for a head of curls only every few minutes. He's not doing a very good job.

And his friends notice.

"Hey Lou, what's up? Who you waitin' for?" Liam questions, squinting a little at his suspicious behavior.

"What? Nothi-" Louis almost finishes his denial when he sees a mess of curls sticking out from the normal lunch crowd. Harry's carrying a red tray and seems to be engaged in a conversation with someone, though he doesn't quite seem so interested.

Louis thinks Harry's too polite. He lifts up off his seat a little to strain his neck to catch a glimpse of who Harry's is busy with. _What he sees, he doesn't really like_.

Harry's using both his hands to properly balance his tray while _Nick Grimshaw_ from Chemistry class holds him by his wrist and attempts to flirt with him. 

Louis throws himself back down and creates a bit of a 'bang', apparently loud enough to make Harry's head turn in his direction and lips immediately curve upwards upon seeing Louis face. Nick turns to see who's got Harry's attention as well and,

"Tommo? Seriously? You're eating with Tommo?" Nick glares straight at Louis and then back at Harry in disbelief. Harry's smile doesn't falter for one second as he manages to pry his wrist out of Grimmy's grip and heads over to Louis in long strides. When Harry sits down, Liam casually comments.

"Oh, that's why."

"Liam shut up," Louis snaps. Harry laughs and introduces himself to the group like the polite kid he is. They take turns to explain the story of how they had met that morning, even finishing each other’s sentences. The five of them fall into easy conversation until the bell rings and Harry has to rush off to the office to fill in some papers.

Louis doesn't pout. _He doesn't._

Walking to the lockers, Zayn, Liam and Niall whisperer in hush tones and eye Louis until he couldn't take it any more.

"What?"

"I can't believe you fell for him so fast."

Louis jerks to a halt.

_"What?"_

"You look at him like he's your world. And it's been less than 6 hours." Zayn says.

"You're _whipped_ , mate." Niall adds.

Louis opens his mouth to deny all accusations, because no, he did not have a crush on Harry. Harry was just his friend who he'd gotten abnormally close to despite having met him only that morning. They have a connection, they just clicked. The butterflies he felt around Harry, how his eyes crinkle when he bursts out into laughter, he was just nervous around Harry right? Being a new friend and all. The wanting to touch his shoulders and his hands and his waist and to just pull him close, it's all normal. They're just friends. Really. It's not anything el-

Louis likes Harry. The realization hits him hard. 

At the end of the day, he ignores most of Harry's texts and avoids him after school. But he can't help but wonder if Harry got home safe, and so he spends his day cooped up in his room staring out the window for Harry. When he sees Harry walk past the bus stop and hesitates a little before stopping to look up at Louis house, Louis doesn't immediately shut the blinds and groan. 

_He doesn't._

Except maybe he does.

 

 .

 

The next morning, Louis wakes up a little later than usual and has to sprint to the bus stop so that he's not late for school, not even bothering to put the kettle on for his daily cuppa. When he crosses the street to the shelter, he stops right in the middle of the road, unable to process what's right in front of him. 

The cars honk and he finally jolts out of his daydream.

And then he _runs._

He runs straight to the bus stop faster than he ever has before. 

When he gets there, he's panting and his knees are buckling and there's sweat trickling down his neck despite the cold weather but he really doesn't care. 

"Hi" he says, barely audible.

He sees Harry's body visibly tense up as he lifts his head slowly. He stands up and extends his hand, a coffee cup reaching Louis' chest.

"Oops."

Louis takes the cup and sips a little from it, the liquid warming his insides.

It's perfect.

"How'd you know how I like my tea?"

Harry breaks out into a smirk and laughs a little before saying "I guess we're a little meant to be, huh?"

Louis laughs harder than he ever has before and he feels himself turn into a ball of sunshine and fond because god, he's so gone for this boy.

"I'm just joking, I might've asked Liam how you took it," Harry admits, blushing.

_He's so so so gone._

There was a comfortable silence as Harry looked down at the ground and shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"Is there-Did I do something? I saw you rushing out of school yesterday. And you ignored my calls, or at least I think you did. 'M sorry." Harry whispers, sadness tricking his voice.

Louis never wants to hear Harry's voice like that again. The boy in front of him deserves happiness and everything in the world; not even a tinge of sadness.

"No! No, I mean- I just had kind of, an epiphany? In school? And I kinda freaked out and wanted to get home. M' the sorry one," Louis takes a stride over to where Harry is standing and cups his face. Harry leans into the touch and closes his eyes.

"Like, a Eureka moment?"

Louis nods.

"Was it good? Are you okay?"

Louis giggles and pulls Harry into a tight hug.

"Yeah, yeah everything's fine. You're here now, aren't you?."

Harry nuzzles into his body and whispers into his ear.

"Can I hear about it?"

"Someday, Haz. _I promise_."

Louis was never lonely again.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!!  
> please leave kudos & comments
> 
> hit me up on tumblr:  
> notyourfournipples


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